The Saint (Edwin Astley song)

"The Saint" is a theme tune for The Saint composed first as a whistled melody by author Leslie Charteris himself, before being expanded by Edwin Astley 1962, and later Brian Dee, Irving Martin, and Orbital in television and film versions.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Orbital version
"The Saint"
Single by Orbital
from the album The Saint (soundtrack)
Released7 April 1997
Recorded1996
GenreElectronica
Length4:32
LabelFFRR
Songwriter(s)Edwin Astley
Producer(s)P&P Hartnoll
Orbital singles chronology
"Satan Live"
(1997)		 "The Saint"
(1997)		 "Style"
(1999)

"The Saint" is a 1997 single by Orbital, taken from the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The track is an updated version of Edwin Astley's theme music from the 1960s TV series The Saint and plays over a scene towards the end of the film. Orbital's arrangement alters the piece from waltz time to common time and places the melody on top of a driving electronica rhythm. The B-side, "The Sinner", is an original composition developing elements of Orbital's arrangement from the A-side.

"The Saint" was one of Orbital's biggest hit singles. It reached number three in Iceland and on the UK Singles Chart, their highest-placing song on that chart along with "Satan Live". In Ireland it peaked at number seven, and in Finland it reached number eight. The single also sold well in North America, making it to number 15 on the Canadian Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. Despite its success, it is not included on any of Orbital's retrospective albums, though it did appear on some reissues of their 1996 album In Sides. It was included in Orbital's live set during Lollapalooza 1997 and that year's Phoenix Festival but has not been played live since.

Weekly charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[8] 15
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 21
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 8
Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 87
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 7
Scotland (OCC)[14] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 34
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 3
UK Dance (OCC)[17] 3
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[18] 4

Year-end charts
Chart (1997) Position
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[19] 82
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[20] 123

The opening seconds of "The Saint" can be heard during the scene in which Daria Morgendorffer approaches the Guptys' house, in the Daria episode, "Pinch Sitter".

Other versions

References
  1. Anna Gough-Yates, Bill Osgerby, Anna Gough Yates Action TV: Tough-Guys, Smooth Operators and Foxy Chicks 2013 1136358722 Page 198 - "Composed by Edwin Astley, the theme to The Saint (like that to The Avengers) uses swinging big band sounds and rhythms to set the tone for the series and its debonair hero. Played after the opening teaser of each episode, the theme ..."
  2. Kristopher Spencer Film and Television Scores, 1950-1979: A Critical Survey 0786452285 2008 - Page 58 - -"Edwin Astley, who went on to score Secret Agent and The Saint, contributed music, along with Leroy Holmes, Sidney Shaw and Harry Booth."
  3. Vincent Terrace Crime Fighting Heroes of Television: Over 10,000 Facts 2002 Page 144 "Edwin Astley composed the theme, "The Saint."
  4. Wesley Alan Britton Spy Television 0275981630 2004 Page 113 "The Saint became even more involved with espionage when Ian Ogilvy took over the part in the 1970s. Demonstrating his unique versatility, Leslie Charteris himself composed the signature whistled title melody for The Saint, the same tune later expanded by Edwin Astley, Brain Dee, 1rving Martin, and Orbital in television and film versions of the"
  5. Lukas Kendall Film Score Monthly Volume 7 - 2002 Page 30 - "Secret Agent EDWIN ASTLEY Score on Collectables CD, paired with The Saint."
  6. James Chapman Saints and Avengers: British Adventure Series of the 1960s 2002-1860647545 Page 116 - "Like all long-running, successful television series, The Saint has its own specific set of narrative codes and ... and a kaleidoscope of figures fighting in silhouette, guns and target motifs, accompanied by Edwin Astley's television theme tune. "
  7. Francesco Adinolfi Mondo Exotica: Sounds, Visions, Obsessions of the Cocktail 2008 0822389088 "Edwin Astley also composed the soundtrack to The Saint, a series that aired in the United Kingdom in black and white from 1962 to 1965, and in color from 1966 to 1969. The music was suave and sophisticated like the lead character Simon ..."
  8. "Orbital Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 17. 26 April 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  10. "Orbital: The Saint" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Orbital – The Saint". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  12. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (22.5. '97 – 28.5. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 23 May 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Theme from The Saint". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – Orbital – The Saint". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  17. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  18. "Orbital Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  19. "Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  20. "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
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